The former pro-basketball star and NBA hall-of-famer turned hoops-analyst made the comments Sunday night during the airing of a playoff game between the Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks.- Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker

Romney, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, and his wife Ann were at game, which was held at Boston's TD Garden. A picture of them in the crowd was shown on TNT, which along with CNN is part of Time Warner's Turner Broadcasting division.

"We are going to beat you like a drum in November. But don't take it personally. I like you. You seem like a nice guy. But you're going down bro," Barkley said on the TNT broadcast, after seeing Romney in the crowd.

Barkley, a former Republican who switched his party affiliation to Democrat, has previously spoken out about the race for the White House. In December, he described the GOP presidential candidates as "idiots" for their criticism of the president.

Barkley twice weighed runs for the governor's office in his home state of Alabama, but never took the plunge into campaign politics.

Arizona Sen. John McCain, a top Romney surrogate who was the Republican presidential nominee in 2008, responded to Barkley on Twitter Monday, writing: "Dear Charles Barkley, "don't take it personally, you seem like a nice guy," but you're clueless – @MittRomney wins. Wanna bet?"

soundoff(222 Responses)

Democrat Class Warfare - Destroying the economy, destroying the country

Why isn't Barkley being suspended or fired by TNT for making a partisan politcal attack while he was supposed to be working as an NBA analyst? This is NOT acceptable behavior while on the job. He should be fired.

May 7, 2012 04:06 pm at 4:06 pm |

Lee

Professional jocks should stick to what they're good at and keep their collective noses out of issues they're hopefully ignorant about...

May 7, 2012 04:06 pm at 4:06 pm |

Another Day in the RW Idiot Mines

"Barkley is just a racist. He likes Obama because he is black. But that kind of racism is OK in this country."

And you know this because Fakes News told you? In fact, the GOBP cult left Barkley and other moderates behind in the Bush years, which is when Barkley noted the GOBP had "lost its mind." Doesn't sound at all like racism to me, Sounds like commons sense based on something many of us have also observed.

May 7, 2012 04:11 pm at 4:11 pm |

The Real Tom Paine

-Democrat Class Warfare – Destroying the economy, destroying the country

CA Liberal – By it's very nature Health Care should not be a business. It should be a service a government provides to it's people. Like police care and fire care.
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And food and housing and drugs and education and cell phones and large screen TVs and cars and day care and retirement and lawn care and manicures and haircuts and movies and yearly vacations and diaper service and car repair and.... I see no reason why we can't all get everything we need without working for it. Surely there must be enough rich people to provide it for us?
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Geez, but the Blessed St. Ronnie Reagan told us that all we had to do was that, and money would come down from heave. Yea, verily, the debt came instead, and the Righties did gnash their teeth at being caught in a lie yet again. And so the came weeping and wailing after their philistine-like champion Mittens was mowed down by the champion of the people, proving that money can't buy you happiness, but the wealthy do provide good laughs for those of us who actually work in a Blue state.

It may surprise the righties, but we support them with our taxes while they sit in their hinting cabins clutching their guns, waiting for the apocolypse. Live in the real world, idiots.

May 7, 2012 04:15 pm at 4:15 pm |

The Real Tom Paine

-Democrat Class Warfare – Destroying the economy, destroying the country

Why isn't Barkley being suspended or fired by TNT for making a partisan politcal attack while he was supposed to be working as an NBA analyst? This is NOT acceptable behavior while on the job. He should be fired.
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If he were adressing the NRA and said he would be dead or in jail in year when Obama gets reelected, you would be high-fiving him. Idiot.

May 7, 2012 04:17 pm at 4:17 pm |

justthesame

Here we go!!! If it was a republican shouting about beating Obama like a drum. First the dems would call for his resignation, then they would call it rich picking on the poor, then that it was racist.
How about sounding like a broken drum.

May 7, 2012 04:19 pm at 4:19 pm |

cf

Those of you on the right who feel the need to criticize a "liberal celebrity" for speaking his mind on politics... please feel free to do so AFTER you shut up Ted Nugent, Fred Thompson, Victoria Jackson, Chuck Norris, Kid Rock, Elisabeth Hasslebeck, and every other rightwing celebrity who constantly spouts their politics and lies. Oh, and quit yammering on about Ronald Reagan, who was nothing but a mindless Hollywood actor. Hypocrites.

May 7, 2012 04:20 pm at 4:20 pm |

Bonnie

Barkley lives in the land of free speech and he just spoke his mind. I am glad he had the chance to tell Romney he was going down .

May 7, 2012 04:21 pm at 4:21 pm |

Democrat Class Warfare - Destroying the economy, destroying the country

Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, Charles.

May 7, 2012 04:22 pm at 4:22 pm |

justthesame

Here we go. If it was a rep shouting about beating BO like a drum. First the dems would call for his resignation, then they would call it rich picking on the poor, then that it was raicist.
How about sounding like a broken drum.

May 7, 2012 04:22 pm at 4:22 pm |

Alan

Sounds like a threat to me, Secret Service has been notified.

May 7, 2012 04:23 pm at 4:23 pm |

Dave

First, that was inappropriate for him to say that over the air waves during a b-ball game. Second, what does Barkley know about the economy? I doubt American's will be as gullible this time.

May 7, 2012 04:24 pm at 4:24 pm |

The Real Tom Paine

-Democrat Class Warfare – Destroying the economy, destroying the country

National defense is THE primary role of the federal government. – Still no argument from all the libtards in here that this is not true, because it IS true.

Sorry, free government handouts to coach potatoes takes a back seat. Supporting lazy slackers is NOT a national priority.
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So, subsidizing the military and the defense industry is the ONLY thing the federal government should do? Who is going to design the weapons, idiot? The Chinese? How will our soldiers know how to use them, or are you planning on letting General Nugent run a citzen militia for his little corner of TX? Your ignorance knows no bounds.

May 7, 2012 04:26 pm at 4:26 pm |

OCDemVoter

Charles may not have an IQ of $ .50 but he's sees a big time loser like Mittens for what he is.

May 7, 2012 04:29 pm at 4:29 pm |

FedUp

OOOOh. An athlete is threatening a political candidate.. Wow!

May 7, 2012 04:32 pm at 4:32 pm |

big dog

For those of you that say that Barkley only likes President Obama because he is black you should ask yourself this question. Is the only reason you dont like President Obama is because he is Black?

May 7, 2012 04:34 pm at 4:34 pm |

justthesame

Socialism can be an appealing idea until you run out of other peoples money to spend🙂

May 7, 2012 04:34 pm at 4:34 pm |

OCDemVoter

CF said:

Those of you on the right who feel the need to criticize a "liberal celebrity" for speaking his mind on politics... please feel free to do so AFTER you shut up Ted Nugent, Fred Thompson, Victoria Jackson, Chuck Norris, Kid Rock, Elisabeth Hasslebeck, and every other rightwing celebrity who constantly spouts their politics and lies. Oh, and quit yammering on about Ronald Reagan, who was nothing but a mindless Hollywood actor. Hypocrites.

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CF, I totally agree with you on this one. Also, I must add Rush Limbaugh, Ted Nugent as well. You righties can dish it out but can take it dish on you.

May 7, 2012 04:37 pm at 4:37 pm |

Democrat Class Warfare - Destroying the economy, destroying the country

The Real Tom Paine
So, subsidizing the military and the defense industry is the ONLY thing the federal government should do? Who is going to design the weapons, idiot? The Chinese? How will our soldiers know how to use them, or are you planning on letting General Nugent run a citzen militia for his little corner of TX?
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Tommie, Tommie, Tommie!! Drop the koolaide!! What the heck are you blathering on about? Your response is total gibberish. I mean even more than usual....

May 7, 2012 04:38 pm at 4:38 pm |

Democrat Class Warfare - Destroying the economy, destroying the country

OCDemVoter - Charles may not have an IQ of $ .50
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Actually above average for an Obama supporter.

May 7, 2012 04:39 pm at 4:39 pm |

Romney is not My Hero

@ The Real Tom Paine - You are beating "Democratic Class blah, blah, blah's behind. Keep up the good work – LMAO!

May 7, 2012 04:46 pm at 4:46 pm |

The Real Tom Paine

-Democrat Class Warfare – Destroying the economy, destroying the country

Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, Charles.
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Ignorant, angry and homicidal is not good, either so please remember that before you post. Besides, he's rich, you should love him for that.

May 7, 2012 04:46 pm at 4:46 pm |

The Real Tom Paine

-justthesame

Here we go. If it was a rep shouting about beating BO like a drum. First the dems would call for his resignation, then they would call it rich picking on the poor, then that it was raicist.
How about sounding like a broken drum.
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I bet you defended Nugent, and called him a patriot, right?

May 7, 2012 04:47 pm at 4:47 pm |

noel

please chuck, the only thing going down under this president is the value of our hard earned dollars, the stock market, and our economy. gas prices, are up, unemployment is up, and this november obongo's time will be UP!!!
OBAMANOS!!!

May 7, 2012 04:55 pm at 4:55 pm |

LaPlut

Democrat Class Warfare seems to be on all these threads trying to save the world one comment at a time. What he doesn't realize is that he's here because he's depressed and can't afford a therapist. You can hang him with a new rope and he'll still kick.